Fonseca et al., J Tourism Res Hospitality 2016, S2
http://dx.doi.org/10.4172/2324-8807.S2-002
Journal of Tourism
Research & Hospitality
Research Article
Dark Tourism: Concepts,
Typologies and Sites
Ana Paula Fonseca1*, Claudia Seabra1 and Carla Silva1
Abstract
Dark Tourism, understood as the type of tourism that involves a
visit to real or recreated places associated with death, suffering,
misfortune, or the seemingly macabre, is not a new concept, even
from a touristic point of view. In fact, places of war, disasters, death
and atrocities always fascinated humans and are subject to visits.
People have long been drawn, purposefully or otherwise, towards
sites, attractions or events linked in one way or another with death,
suffering, violence or disaster. The concept of dark tourism has
been designed and studied for the last years and many are the
destinations around the world where it has been implemented,
playing an important role in both a country’s economy and its
image. However, there is a gap in literature about this specific type
of tourism. The main goal of this paper is to present a literature
review about this new tourism product where the thrill seeking is the
main motivation. Specifically, it’s our intent to present some Dark
Tourism definitions, history and evolution, as well as, to introduce
its typologies and identify the most important dark tourist sites all
over the world.
Keywords
Dark Tourism; Motivations; Supply; Typologies; Sites
Introduction
Tourism is a complex phenomenon involving a wide range
of people, increasingly seeking for new and unique experiences
in order to satisfy the most diverse motives, reason why the world
tourism landscape has been changing in the last decades [1]. Tourists’
motivations, as the destinations they seek, are no longer related with
the traditional sun, beach and beautiful sceneries. The concept of
‘pleasant diversion in pleasant places’ is changing and broadening
into new market demanding, more complex and even unusual [2].
This is the case of dark tourism, considered as the phenomenon which
encompasses the presentation and consumption (by visitors) of real
and co modified death and disaster sites [3]. In a more specific way,
dark tourism is considered as the “visitation to places where tragedies
or historically noteworthy death has occurred and that continue to
impact our lives” [4]. Nonetheless, it has also been referred as the act
of travel to sites associated with death, suffering and the seemingly
macabre [5]. This is a topic recently addressed but death is indeed
one of the oldest reasons for travelling [6,7]. Attraction and curiosity
for death are not new concepts; there has always been a fascination
for the human nature darkest side [8]. The demand for places and
*Corresponding author: Ana Paula Fonseca, Higher School of Technology
and Management, Polytechnic Institute of Viseu, Viseu, Portugal, Tel:
+351232480500; Fax: +351232424651; E-mail: anathestudent@netcabo.pt
Received: December 22, 2014 Accepted: February 29, 2015 Published: March
04, 2015
International Publisher of Science,
Technology and Medicine
a SciTechnol journal
experiences related to death reassemble to the Middle Age and the
Romantic period, very often with religious or pilgrimage purposes [9].
Early examples of Dark Tourism were the pilgrimages to holy sites,
the patronage of Roman gladiatorial games, the public executions of
the medieval period, the guided morgue tours of the Victorian period,
the ancient city of Pompeii “the greatest than atopic travel destination
of the Romantic period”, among others [10]. Dark Tourism covers
all the sites that celebrate the death, fear, fame or infamy [11]. Since
the mid-20th century, the demand and supply for this specific type of
tourism has increased significantly in both size and scope [12]. Dark
Tourism was pointed as a contemporary “leisure activity” that has
been explored and offered by the popular press. Media giving easy
access, particularly through films, photographs and news of accidents
and tragedies, allows the global community to experience a remote
event as if it had occurred locally [13]. Despite the major importance of
this market niche and the significant amount of research both “by the
academic and the media community” (Stone), there is little consensus
among researchers on the definition, designation and typology of this
controversial tourism product. Therefore, the main goal of this paper
is to present some Dark Tourism definitions, typologies and sites
based in the main studies done so far on the product.
Dark Tourism – A Troublesome Concept
Dark Tourism as a tourism product started to gain researchers’
attention since the early 90s, but there is no consensus not only on
the conceptualization but also on the designation. In fact, other
designations were used to describe the same phenomenon, namely:
“Black Spot” as “commercial developments of grave and sites in
which celebrities or large number of people have met with sudden and
violent deaths [14]. “Thanatourism“ - is the “travel to a location wholly,
or partially, motivated by the desire for actual or symbolic encounters
with death, particularly, but not exclusively, violent death, which may,
to a varying degree be activated by the person-specific features of those
whose deaths are its focal objects” (Seaton). “Atrocity Tourism” like the
type of tourism that leads the individual to visit holocaust sites (Beech),
“Morbid Tourism” considered as the travel to attractions that focus
on accidents and sudden violent death [15].
Dark Tourism - Typologies
The attention given to events of death, suffering, and atrocity and
the subsequent development of dark tourism sites is attributed to an
inherent human curiosity towards mortality and the darker aspects of
humanity [3]. Once recognized as a phenomenon, several countries
have tried to integrate dark tourism as a product into their tourism
industry [16]. Many destinations around the world implemented
structures to support this new offer, playing dark tourism an
important role in both a country’s economy and its image. Thereby,
for the individual who wishes to journey and gaze upon real or
recreated death, a plethora of sites, attractions and exhibitions are
now emerging across the world to cater to the ‘darker side of travel’
[12]. The consensus between the literature researchers is that dark
tourism has a typology depending on the visitors’ motivations and
sites, namely War/Battlefield Tourism, Disaster Tourism, Prison
Tourism, Cemetery Tourism, Ghost Tourism, and Holocaust Tourism.
War/Battlefield Tourism can be described as the recreational travel to
war zones for sightseeing or historical studying purposes, tourists
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Citation: Fonseca AP, Seabra C, Silva C (2016) Dark Tourism: Concepts, Typologies and Sites. J Tourism Res Hospitality S2-002.
doi:http://dx.doi.org/10.4172/2324-8807.S2-002
deliberately visit nations that have been involved in a war, looking for
evidence of the conflict. The artifacts of war such as battlefields,
cemeteries, monuments, museums and living history demonstrations
have historically served as resource bases for the development of a
wide variety of war tourism attractions and related infrastructures
[17,18]. War tourism isn’t something new, since the Waterloo and
Gettysburg battles, the armies that gathered there attracted the
curiosity of innumerous individuals to the local, the phenomenon is
not new what is new is its marketing (Stone). Generally speaking, war
tourism appears associated with battle and suffering scenes, but not
only, it also emerges linked with places that have an important role in
the nations’ history, to military museums, fortifications, castles,
among others [19]. In fact, there are a number of reasons why tourists
visit these conflicts sites, including commemoration, entertainment,
education and pilgrimage [20]. Battlefields are especially significant
as memorial landscapes because they challenge us to recall basic
realities of historical experiences, especially those of death, suffering
and sacrifice [21,22]. Disaster Tourism is the practice of traveling to
areas that have recently experienced natural or man-made disasters.
Information about disasters and their effects draws human attention
and also play an important informative and educational role.
Individuals who participate in this type of tours are typically curious
to see the results of the disaster and often travel as part of an organized
group (Różycki). One of the oldest disaster tourism sites are Pompeii
and Herculaneum, where tourists can learn about the history and
aspects of the Vesuvius’ volcanic activity and experience the unique
attraction of seeing casts of human remains preserved in volcanic ash
[23]. Other natural disasters sites became well-known worldwide,
specifically, the Hurricane Katrina considered one of the
five deadliest hurricanes, in the history of the United States; the 1960
Chile Earthquake the most powerful earthquake ever recorded struck
near Valdivia, where 6,000 people were killed; the great flood in 1931
in central China was the deadliest natural disaster ever recorded,
among others. Concerning the disasters made by man, it’s imperative
to speak about the Chernobyl disaster that happened in Ukraine in
1986. This disaster was the worst nuclear power plant accident in
history in terms of cost and casualties. The magnitude of the incident
was reflected in the number of the resulting deaths, as well as in the
consequential costs and long-term effects left by the radiations, such
as cancer and other deformities. Prison Tourism is the visit to prisons
that have a dark history attached and it combines education and
entertainment. With this type of tourism, former sites of punishment
and incarceration have become popular tourist experiences as
deactivated prisons are converted into museums or heritage sites. In
the last decades, several old prisons were rehabilitated and converted
into tourism destinations. The most famous prisons in the world are
Alcatraz and Robben Island. Old prisons such as Alcatraz and Robben
island are “stony silent witnesses to the acts that former regimes were
prepared to do to people who violated laws or who seemed threatening
or suspicious” [24]. Visit to prisons combine education and
entertainment. These prison sites are becoming tourist attractions
that register a growing number of visitors. Deactivated prisons all
over the world have found a second life by operating as tourist
attractions, museums and even hostels, offering everything from
spooky evening tours by candlelight to the chance to stay overnight in
a cell. The visitors to these sites are curious people, history buffs and
more and more, ghost hunters [25]. Cemetery Tourism is the
movement of people to visit cemeteries to see statuary and funeral
ornaments in tombs of notable and famous people and other
anonymous [26]. If it is true that most people associate cemeteries
New Trends in Tourism Management
with sadness and morbidity, it is also true that there is a growing
number of people for whom they are a source of fascination or interest
[27,28]. Cemetery tourists can be interested in the historical aspects
of cemeteries or the historical relevance of its inhabitants. One of the
most famous cemeteries in the world is the Parisian Père Lachaise
cemeteries, in which were buried renowned personalities such as: Jim
Morison, Edith Piaf, Oscar Wilde, Marcel Proust, Eugène Delacroix,
Moliere, among others. Equally famous is the “Cimitero Acattolico”
in Rome, known as the poets’ and artists’ cemetery. There are also
cemeteries in Europe that deserve to be mentioned, namely, the
Prazeres cemetery in Portugal, the cemetery of San Amaro, in Spain,
the Old St. Matthew’s cemetery, in Germany, and many others. The
existence of numerous cemeteries with personalities that have marked
the world history in various fields (literature, philosophy, music, etc.)
led to the creation of the ASCE - Association of Significant Cemeteries
in Europe. The main goal of ASCE is to promote the European
cemeteries as a fundamental part of the cultural heritage of humanity,
as well as, to raise awareness among European citizens of the
importance of the relevant cemeteries [26]. Ghost Tourism concerns
the commercial exploitation of ghosts, though; this concept is not
necessarily new. It was common in the past crowds joining together,
to allegedly proceed to ghost hunting’s with the local commercials
gaining rewards with it [29]. Even the upper classes were fascinated
with this phenomenon, for instance in Scotland, considered as a
repository of ghosts and supernatural in the 18th and 19th century [30].
Recently, there was a change in the way locals and communities deal
with the alleged apparitions. Ghost tourism came to contradict the
historical vision in which communities wanted to get rid of their own
spirits, instead, they are now very popular and sought. Ghost tourism
divides itself assuming a lighter and darker facet (Stone) depending
on the purpose it is intended for. The ghost tourism, whose
infrastructures were developed for entertainment purposes, tends to
be in the lightest part of the dark tourism spectrum, an example of
that is the Dracula Park. However, this does not exclude moments of
dark reflexing and belief as well as genuine attempts to provide
historically accurate representations of paranormal activity, which
are normally associated with the darker part of the dark tourism
spectrum [31]. Ghost tourism often involves the movement through
public spaces, reason why, the excursions to observe paranormal
activity are becoming increasingly frequent. The ghost tourism
promotion has been based on three essential forms: haunted hotels
that use that specific particularity to attract the public; the enterprises
that focus exclusively on paranormal events; and the paranormal
tours to find ghosts [31]. Some of the most remarkable ghost tourism
sites are: the Waverly Hills sanatorium, in Kentucky, the Tower of
London, the Ancient Ram Inn, in Gloucestershire, the Island of the
Dolls in Mexico, and so on. Sites of genocide and crimes against
humanity or Holocaust Tourism: consists in the visit to places
where cruel historical events have occurred, especially areas
connected with exterminations. Holocaust tourism appeals to
young travelers, born long after the events that such sites represent,
as a way to present the perpetrated errors committed in the past.
Auschwitz remains the most important site of Holocaust,
remembrance and collective mourning in the world [32].
Holocaust cultural representations have grown drastically in the
last decades due, in part, to movies such as the “Der Untergang” The Downfall - (2004), “Schindler’s List” (1993), the “Killing
Fields” (1984), “The Diary of Anne Frank” (1959) and many
others, that retract the most dark period of our history and “have
placed the holocaust in the popular consciences” [33].
• Page 2 of 6 •
Citation: Fonseca AP, Seabra C, Silva C (2016) Dark Tourism: Concepts, Typologies and Sites. J Tourism Res Hospitality S2-002.
doi:http://dx.doi.org/10.4172/2324-8807.S2-002
Dark Tourism Supply – Shades and Intensity
Dark camps of genocide
The universal term dark when applied to tourism is too broad
and does not readily expose the multilayer’s of dark tourism
supply. Dark tourism presence is diverse and widespread. It is due
to this diversity of sites that the authors feel a need to distinguish
shades of darkness between types of sites, based on characteristics,
perceptions and the product traits. The dark tourism supply is much
differentiated, in some destinations death really occurred; others were
built purposefully to recreate those events. Some researchers consider
that dark tourism sites can be measured accordingly to their degree
of darkness, in a continuum from the darkest to the lightest (Stone)
(Figure 1). In accordance with this idea, Seaton defined seven types of
Dark Tourism suppliers.
Dark Camps of Genocide are those sites that mark a concentration
of death and atrocity. Currently, the tourist attractions associated
with genocides and wars constitute one of the largest categories of
visiting spots around the world. Auschwitz- Birkenau, Cambodja,
and Rwanda, can be highlighted as being, some of the few sites, where
past genocides and mass atrocities happened. The dark sites and
attractions can switch between the darkest black and the lightest black,
being the darkest black the places where death really occurred and
because of that use less tourism infrastructures to attract the visitors,
and the lightest black that concerns the places/attractions where
death is recreated and need to use higher tourism infrastructures to
attract tourists [8]. According to this “Darkest-Lightest” framework
of supply (Stone), the continuum represents different levels of contact
with the Dark provided by Dark Tourism sites. On the left side of the
image we can see the Darkest Tourism that concerns the sites where
death and suffering have actually occurred, like Auschwitz the world’s
most dark destination, symbolizing the genocide of thousands of
Jews. At this level the main goal is to educate tourists about the place/
event. On the right side of the color scale we are able to see the lightest
tourism, which is performed at sites merely associated with death, and
therefore, need to possess excellent touristic infrastructures created
with the intention of being attractions and entertain the tourists, one
example is the Dracula Park.
Dark fun factories
Visitor sites, attractions and tours that have an entertainment focus
and commercial ethic. They represent fictional death and macabre
events, as that, they need a high degree of tourism infrastructures. At
this degree, attractions such as the London Dungeon or the Dracula
Park should be pointed out, as being the lightest dark tourism places
in the world.
Dark exhibitions
Dark Exhibitions offer products that circle around death and
suffering with an often commemorative, educational and reflective
message. These exhibitions are drawn to reflect education and
potential learning activities. The museums that display death with
educational and reminiscent purposes are the best examples of dark
exhibitions.
Dark dungeons
Dark Dungeons places/attractions related to justice and criminal
matters, namely former prisons. Dark Dungeons offer products that
combine entertainment and education as a main merchandise
focus. The Alcatraz Federal prisons, the Robben Island prison, the
Missouri State penitentiary among others, are good examples of
dark dungeons.
Dark resting places
Dark Resting Places focuses upon the cemetery or grave markers
as potential products for Dark Tourism (Seaton). More and more
tourists include the cemeteries in their tours. Those of large dimension
are true open-air museums that include several architectural works
and sculptures of refined taste. The most visited cemeteries nowadays
are the Cimetiere du Pere Lachaise, the Arlington National cemetery,
La Recoleta cemetery and many others.
Dark shrines
Dark Tourism Sites and Attractions Worldwide
A bit scattered all over the world, Dark Tourism plays an
important role in both the economy and image of some destinations.
Destinations considered as dark tourism sites, are museums,
cemeteries, slums, concentration camps, war scenarios, attempts or
others places of tragedy [34]. Having that in mind, it’s now time to
exhibit some of the most visited Dark Tourism sites in the world
(Table 1).
Conclusion
Conflicting is the word to use when we think on the attitude of the
contemporary society towards death. On one hand, individuals fear
it, on the other hand they want to know more about it so they can lose
that same fright. Becker [35] argues that “the idea of death, the fear
of it, haunts the human animal like nothing else; it is the mainspring
of human activity - activity designed largely to avoid the fatality of
death, to overcome it by denying in some way that it is the final destiny
for man”. Having that in mind, we can see that Dark Tourism in its
various forms came to demystify the fearful idea that individuals have
about death, because it allows them to confront and behold their own
mortality. Strongly related to the culture and to the heritage of the
destinations, Dark Tourism brings to life the history of the tragedies
Dark Shrines sites based on the act of remembrance and respect
for the recently deceased. Dark Shrines are non- purposeful for
tourism and do not possess much tourism infrastructures due to their
temporal nature. The most evident example of a Dark Shrine is the
Solomon Isles where the battle of Guadalcanal occurred.
Dark conflict sites
Dark Conflict sites associated with war and battlefields. These sites
have an educational and commemorative focus, as well as an historic
one. The Solomon Isles, where the battle of Guadalcanal occurred, are
one of the well-known dark conflict sites.
New Trends in Tourism Management
Stone, 2006
Figure 1: Darkest – Lightest Framework of Supply.
• Page 3 of 6 •
Citation: Fonseca AP, Seabra C, Silva C (2016) Dark Tourism: Concepts, Typologies and Sites. J Tourism Res Hospitality S2-002.
doi:http://dx.doi.org/10.4172/2324-8807.S2-002
Table 1: Dark Tourism Sites Worldwide.
Site or Attraction
Location
Definition
Concentration and Extermination
Camp in Auschwitz
Auschwitz (Poland)
Between June 1941 and January 1945, one million men, women and children perished in the 3
Auschwitz concentration camps. The whole complex of the death camp was a deadly prison to
some 150,000 inmates that were being either murdered outright or starved and worked to death.
Lately, the concentration camps were transformed into a memorial museum, that every year
counts with the visit of 1,400,000 persons.
Ground Zero - The National
September 11 Memorial
New York (USA)
A tribute of remembrance and honor to the nearly 3,000 people killed in the terror attacks of
September 11, 2001 at the World Trade Center site. According to the 9/11 site, this memorial
receives each year approximately 1.000.000 visitors.
Hiroshima (Japan)
Tells the history of Hiroshima and the advent of the nuclear bomb, on the 6th of August of 1945.
The personal details displayed in the museum are quite upsetting, and are there to remind the
visitors that we shouldn’t take peace for granted. Since its opening the museum have been visited
by 53 million people.
Wallachia (Transylvania)
It’s the most visited tourist site in Romania. Located in Transylvania, has 500,000 visitors annually
and gets a profit of 1 million Euros each year.
San Francisco Bay
(USA)
Was a high-security prison, located on the island of Alcatraz. This prison was designed to hold
the incarcerated prisoners who continually caused problems in other federal prisons. One of the
most famous prisons in the world, Alcatraz housed some of the most vicious criminals of America.
Currently the prison is a museum and one of the main tourist attractions of San Francisco,
attracting 1.5 million visitors annually.
Pompeii
Naples
(Italy)
Was an ancient Roman city near Naples, Italy, destroyed during the eruption of Mount Vesuvius in
79 AD. The eruption destroyed the entire city, killing all its inhabitants and burying it under tons of
ashes. Nowadays, the city acquired the status of World Heritage Site, by UNESCO and is one of
the most popular tourist attractions in Italy, with approximately 2.5 million visitors per year.
Leap Castle
Coolderry County Offaly
(Ireland)
In Ireland was considered the most haunted place in the world. According to a popular legend
the castle is haunted by a supernatural entity called the Elemental that died there of leprosy, and
whose spirit remained over the years. The castle has been used as background for some of the
well-known American TV series. Massively known for its television exposure this castle annually
attracts 800,000 visitors.
Père - Lachaise
Paris
(France)
Is the largest cemetery in Paris, and with its 3.5 million visitors per year, it is also the most visited
cemetery in the world. In this cemetery are buried distinguish personalities of the music scene
(Jim Morrison, Édith Piaf, Frédéric Chopin), poetry writers (Honoré de Balzac, Oscar Wilde, Marcel
Proust ), sculpture and painting artists (Eugène Delacroix, Max Ernst) and a lot of others famous
residents that contributed to enrich the Parisians culture.
Squatter Camp Soweto
Soweto
(South Africa)
Impregnated with the history of the struggle against apartheid and abuzz with the energy of the city
of gold, Soweto is the most visited attraction of South Africa.
Tuol Sleng Museum
Phnom Penh (Cambodia)
Where the Cambodian tragic past is portrayed (former extermination camp where thousands of
Cambodians were killed).
Dharavi Slum
Mumbai
(India)
In Mumbai / India , this slum gained great projection after the release of the film Slumdog Millionaire,
and is one of the most visited slums worldwide.
Liepāja
Latvian Prison Hotel and Museum (Latvia)
Karosta Prison was a working prison for most of the 20th century, but it now serves as a museum,
attraction, and hotel. The prison offers tours, accommodation, and special activities (recreating the
reality of the structure's history).
Hiroshima Peace Memorial Park
The Dracula's Castle - Bran
Castle -
Alcatraz Federal Penitentiary
Alma Bridge
Paris
(France)
Princess Diana´s tunnel of death. In 31 August 1997 Princess Diana died at this tunnel, victim of a
car crash. Only 10 years after the incident became this tunnel open to the general public. Since then,
receives millions of visitors annually.
Arlington National Cemetery
Virginia
(USA)
Is a United States military cemetery in Arlington County, Virginia, in whose 624 acres have been
buried the dead of the nation's conflicts beginning with the American Civil War, as well as reinterred
dead from earlier wars. Visitors per Year: Approximately 4 million.
Paris Catacombs
Paris
(France)
Are underground ossuaries in Paris, France. The ossuaries hold the remains of about six million
people and fill a renovated section of caverns and tunnels that are the remains of historical stone
mines, giving it its reputation as "The World's Largest Grave". The catacombs receive approximately
300,000 visitors per year.
Titanic Belfast
Belfast (Northern Ireland)
It’s a visitor attraction and a monument to Belfast's maritime heritage. It’s a must see place on a trip
to Belfast and became the most popular tourist attraction in Northern Ireland.
Sedlec Ossuary
Sledec
(Czech Republic)
Is a small Roman Catholic chapel, located beneath the Cemetery Church of All Saints in Sledec.
The ossuary is estimated to contain the skeletons of between 40,000 and 70,000 people, whose
bones have in many cases been artistically arranged to form decorations and furnishings for the
chapel. The ossuary is among the most visited tourist attractions of the Czech Republic, attracting
over 200,000 visitors yearly.
Oklahoma City National Memorial
Oklahoma (USA)
& Museum
Is a memorial in the United States that honors the victims, survivors, rescuers, and all who were
affected by the Oklahoma City bombing on April 19, 1995. The memorial has an average of 350,000
visitors a year.
Museum of Genocide Victims
Vilnius (Lithuania)
The museum is situated in the former KGB building (in Vilnius), where the crimes of the Soviet
regime were planned and executed for fifty years. This museum receives the visit of millions of
people each year.
Hanoi (Vietnam)
Was a prison used by the French colonists in Vietnam for political prisoners, and later by North Vietnam
for prisoners of war during the Vietnam War when it was sarcastically known to American prisoners of
war as the "Hanoi Hilton". The prison was demolished during the 1990s, though the gatehouse remains
as a museum. It welcomes about 35,000 to 40,000 thousand people to visit it every year.
Hoa Lo Prison
New Trends in Tourism Management
• Page 4 of 6 •
Citation: Fonseca AP, Seabra C, Silva C (2016) Dark Tourism: Concepts, Typologies and Sites. J Tourism Res Hospitality S2-002.
doi:http://dx.doi.org/10.4172/2324-8807.S2-002
Chapel of Bones
Évora (Portugal)
Is one of the best known monuments in Évora, Portugal. It is a small interior chapel located next to
the entrance of the Church of St. Francis. The Chapel gets its name because the interior walls are
covered and decorated with human skulls and bones. Is one of the most visited attractions in Évora.
Island of the Dolls
Mexico City (Mexico)
Localized in Mexico this island is dedicated to the lost soul of a poor girl who met her fate too soon
in strange circumstances. This island is home to hundreds of terrifying dolls. Their severed limbs,
decapitated heads, and blank eyes adorn trees. It’s one of the creepiest and visited sites in the
world.
The Suicide Forest
Mount Fuji (Japan)
Is a 35-square-kilometre forest that lies at the northwest base of Mount Fuji in Japan. The
forest contains a number of rocky, icy caverns, a few of which are popular tourist destinations.
Aokigahara forest is dense, shutting out all but the natural sounds of the forest itself. The forest
has a historic association with demons in Japanese mythology and is a popular place for suicides.
The London Dungeon
London (UK)
Is a London tourist attraction that recreates various gory and macabre historical events in a gallows
humor style aimed at younger audiences. It uses a mixture of live actors, special effects and rides.
This attraction receives approximately 750,00 visitors a year.
Pripyat
(Ukraine)
After the nuclear accident that occurred in Chernobyl on 26 April 1986, the site sees more visitors
than ever. Several tour operators organize lead excursions to the zone and to their abandoned
villages being Pripyat one of the most visited. Yearly, Chernobyl counts with more than 10.000
tourists.
Chernobyl Disaster
Gallipoli Campaign
Gallipoli
(Turkey)
Dardanelles Campaign (25 April 1915 - 9 January 1916) was a campaign of World War I that
took place on the Gallipoli peninsula. Gallipoli is one of the most holy attractions for the Turkish
because it represents the soldiers that lost their lives in the battle. It’s a historical site that offers
tours around the monuments and tombs to account the incidents that happened there. Every year
the Gallipoli peninsula receives thousands of visitants in order to pay tribute to the ones killed during
the campaign.
Belchite
Saragoça
(Spain)
Belchite is maybe the most prevailing reminder in Spain of the destruction that the civil war of
1936-39 (Battle of Belchite) brought to that population. Since it was destroyed has served as a war
memorial and the ambience of the ghost town attracts millions of tourists per year.
Jack The Ripper Tours
London
Jack the Ripper was a serial killer that brutally murdered several prostitutes in the streets of London.
Media as intensely promoted this story and because of that a tour – Jack The Ripper - was created,
for all of those who wanted to “live” the story. Nowadays it seems to be held up as one of the most
iconic dark tours in the world.
Hothell
Porto
(Portugal)
Hot Hell is the first permanent haunted house in Porto, Portugal. It recreates the horror stories that
happened in the city. Recently opened , the site has been massively searched,
Anne Frank House
Prinsengracht
(Amsterdam)
Anne Frank was a writer that during the holocaust wrote her experiences in a journal that become
worldwide known as the Diary of Anne Frank.
In her memory a museum was built - Anne Frank House was established as a biographical museum
that portrays the stories written by her. Since its opening the number of visitors has been increasing
and in 2015 reached 31056300 visitors.
Kigali Genocide Memorial Centre
Rwanda
This memorial commemorates the Rwanda genocide that took place in 1994. The site receives
about 77,000 visitors per year
Source: Fonseca, A. 2016
once occurred, reason why, the innumerable sites/attractions that
it offers, permit the individuals to have further contact, in a safe
ambience, with death. Also plays an important role in bringing to
the present, past events, sharing information and causing emotions,
expanding the discussion of the darker side of history and humanity.
Within dark tourism, death becomes real (again) for the individual
(Sharpley and Stone). Not only for emotional and educational
purposes, can dark tourists also look for these destinations to seek
their own heritage or to satisfy their curiosity, amongst other reasons.
As stated in this paper, dark tourism sites are scattered throughout
the world and attending the number of visitors they receive every
year, this alternative type of tourism is gaining an increasingly interest
and needs to be designed more profoundly. Dark Tourism cannot be
perceived as an expression of tourist demand only, but rather needs to
be considered in conjunction with tourism supply. It is likely that the
consumption of Dark Tourism isn’t restricted to the contemplating of
the death, so future studies should focus on its consumption as well as
to the empirical examination of the motives inherent when choosing
a dark destination [36-38].
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Author Affiliation
Higher School of Technology and Management, Polytechnic Institute of
Viseu, Viseu, Portugal
1
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